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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1780
A letter, of December 30, 1779, from Mr. Dumas was read, forwarding duplicates of Captain J.P. Jones' letters, of October 3 and December 7, with sundry other papers:2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is printed in the Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton), III, 452.]
Ordered, That the same be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [Ezekiel] Cornell, Mr. [James] Duane, Mr. [John] Henry.
A letter, of 12, from E. Blaine, commissary general, was read:3
[Note 3: 3 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 165, folio 379.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [James] Duane, Mr. [John] Henry and Mr. [Jared] Ingersol.
The committee, to whom was referred the letter, of 7, from General Washington, delivered in a report; Whereupon,
Resolved, That Congress approve the mode suggested by the Commander in Chief, of incorporating the remainder of the men of the late Brigadier General Pulaski's legion, and as many of the officers as there are vacancies for, into Colonel Armand's corps; and that a return be made to the Board of War of the deficiency of that corps, that measures may be taken to compleat it according to the late establishment
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and that Lieutenant Colonel Lee make a return of the deficiency of his corps, for the same purpose.
That the Commander in Chief be directed to lay before Congress a return of the officers of the engineering department, including those of the companies of sappers and miners, and distinguishing such as, in his judgment, it will be necessary to retain in the service, in order that the officers of that department, who shall be continued in service, may be put on an equal establishment with the officers of the line, and that provision may be made for such as shall be reduced.
Resolved, That the clause of the letter from the Commander in Chief of the 7, which respects the laying in magazines of provisions contiguous to the army, while the season admits of transportation, be forwarded to the executives of the States of Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland; that they be informed the efforts of those States are become the more essential from the destruction of the grain upon the western frontiers of the State of New York in the late incursion of the enemy; and
That they be earnestly required to urge forward, without loss of time, as great a proportion of the provisions assigned to their quota as can be procured, that the army may no longer be exposed to want, or Congress to complaints, which it is out of their power to redress.
And whereas it is represented by the Commander in Chief, that the enemy at New York derive great supplies of provisions from a trade with the adjacent states, and that the penalty upon this criminal commerce, by the laws now existing, is either so slight or so little attended to, that it does not prevent the practice: and that by these means the enemy have often been enabled to bear the disappointment of the arrival of their provision fleets, and to avoid the distress which they must have experienced had the resources of the country been effectually cut off from them; and
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whereas most nations have made it capital for their subjects to furnish the enemy with provisions and military stores during war:
Resolved, therefore that it be earnest recommended to the Legislatures of the respective States, wherein it hath not already effectually been done to pas Laws: enacting that every person who shall directly or indirectly sell, give, furnish or supply the enemy within any of their posts in these United States, or on the high seas, with horses, carriages, provisions, forage Military Stores, timber or Naval Stores of any kind or shall aid or assist therein or in any wise countenance or procure it to be done: Such person so offending shall on due conviction suffer the pains of death without benefit of Clergy.
Resolved, That it be, and hereby is, recommended to the legislatures of the respective States, by whom it hath not already been done, to inflict capital punishment on all such persons as shall, directly or indirectly, supply the enemy with provisions or military or naval stores; and that the most effectual measures be adopted by the respective States for the vigorous execution of such laws.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of James Duane, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, VI, folio 317.]
The committee, to whom was referred the letter, of 7, from Governor Jefferson, delivered in a report.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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